Switch mechanism



Oct. 11, 1932. H. s. GANO 1,881,466v

swmn MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Harlan 6. 629110 WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1932 warren srArss PATENT OFFICE EARL/AN S. GANQOF MANSFIELD, OHIO ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTUELING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA SWITCH MECHANISM Application filed February 14, 1931. Serial No. 515,700.

My invention relates to switch mechanisms and particularly to the operating mechanism for enclosed safety switches for controlling current supplied from an outside transformer to residences and the like.

in a knife-type switch is mounted in a metal housing and is operated by a metal rod or bail that is j ournalled, at one end, in the side wall of the housing, and, at its other end, in several sheet-metal discs constituting a part of the switch-operating mechanism. One of the operating discs has a lost-motion connection to the operating bail and to another disc that is connected to the switch operating handle mounted exteriorly of the housing. a

The discs, with the exception of one which is slightly cupped, are flat and are ournalled for rotation in a side wall of the housing, or in a plate which closes an opening in the side wall and which is secured thereto. The plates are retained in assembled relation by means of rivets which constitute the lostmotion connection between the disc attached to the operating handle and to the said a-c-' tuating disc or member.

An object of my invention is to provide an operating mechanism for a switch similar to that disclosed in the aforesaid application, wherein the discs are cupped in such manner that one telescopes within the other to provide an axial bearing for the rotating parts of the operating mechanism, and to secure a structure that is more durable and free from any binding actions of the cooperating parts.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch-operating mechanism having the above noted characteristics that may be constructed from sheet-metal stampings and punchings, to thereby reduce the manufacturing costs to a minimum.

These and other objects, which will be made apparent through the further description of my invention are attained by means of the apparatus hereinafter described, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein f Figure 1 is an elevational View, in transverse section, of a switch mechanism embodying features of my invention;

Fig.2 is an exploded perspective view of the switch-operating-mechanism assembly, certain of the parts being'broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, in vertical 00 section, through a. switch housing showing an end view of the operating-mechanism assembly, with the parts in the position they occupy when theswitch is closed, and

Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the parts of the switch-mechanism assembly in the positions they occupy when the switch is in open position. 7

Referring to the drawings, the switch mechanism comprises a housing 5 having a bottom wall 6, side walls 7 and 8, end walls 9 and a cover 11. Within the housing is mounted a three-pole knife switch of standard construction comprising an insulating base 12, switch hinge jaws 13 and movable switch blades 14 that are pivotally mounted in the hinge jaws for rotation about the hinge pivots 15. s

The free ends of the switch blades 14 are connected to an insulating bar 16 having clips 17 to which operating links 18 are rigidly connected at one end, and which are pivotally connected, at their outer free ends, to a switch-operating bail 19 that is of U-shape and is provided, at its ends, with journal portions 21 and 22. The journalled portion 21 is mounted for rotation in a dust-tight bearing socket 23 pressed outwardly in the side wall 7. The manner in which the journalled portion 22 is mounted will hereinafter appear.

The mechanism for actuating the switchoperating bail 19 comprises a supporting plate 24 that is riveted or otherwise secured to the side wall 8, and covers an opening 25 in the side wall. The plate 24 is provided with a cylindrical bearing opening 26in an annular flange 27' that is formed by a drawing or punching operation, the opening serving as a bearing for a cupped inner washer 28 which extends through the opening, as indicated in Fig. 1, the cupped portion serving as a journal and permitting free rotation of the disc. An outer cupped disc 29 extends over the flange 27 and is secured to the inner disc 28 by means of shoulder rivets 31 in such manner that the inner face of the outer disc engages the outer face of the plate 24, and the outer face of the disc 28 engages the inner face of the plate 24, thereby preventing any longitudinal or axial displacement of the inner disc. An operating handle 32, made of commercial round iron bar, is formed to provide an eyelet portion 33 over which flanges 34 of the disc 29 are turned to retain it in fixed position with respect to the disc, in the manner more specifically described in the aforesaid application.

A cupped actuating disc 35 is mounted on the inside of the housing with its cupped portion 36 constituting a journal which fits into the cupped bearing portion of the disc 28 to serve as a bearin for ermittin free rotation of the actuating disc 35 within the disc 28.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the disc 35 is provided with two arcuate slots 39 through which the enlarged shanks of the rivets 31 extend, and which cooperate with the rivets to provide a lost-motion connection between the disc 28 that is attached to the disc 29 and the actuating disc 35. The disc 35 is held in assembled relation by means of a flat metal washer 41 having perforations throng which the enlarged shanks of the rivets 31 extend, the washer being retained against axial displacement by the heads 42 of the rivets 31.

The actuating disc 35 is provided with a cylindrical bearing opening 43 formed by a flange 44 that is punched or drawn into the shape indicated in Fig. 1. The washer 41 is provided with a bearing opening 45 through which. the flange 44 extends, the washer being mounted for rotation upon the flange. The cylindrical opening 43 constitutes a bearing for the journal portion 22 of the operating bail 19, and, by reason of the cupped construction of the telescoping discs, bearing surfaces of ample size are provided which tend to always maintain the actuating disc in a centered position. Because the bearing surfaces are relatively long axially, there is no opportunity for the discs to become skewed with respect to their true axis, and,

therefore, the relatively moving parts are free from any binding action.

The actuating disc 35 is provided with an arcuate flange 46 disposed concentric to the axis of rotation of the bail 19 and is provided with an elongated slot 47 in which a portion of the bail 19 is free to move, where a lostmotion connection is provided between the operating bail and the actuating disc 35. The actuating disc 35 is provided with shoulssneec ders 48 and 49 that en age a stop pin 51 mounted on the plate 24 for limiting the rotary movement of the actuating disc 35.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the actuating disc 35 is actuated with a snap action by an overcenter spring 52 which surrounds a guide fin 53 having an enlarged head 54 that is slotted longitudinally for pivotallyengaging a shoulder rivet 55 on the disc 35. The free end of the fin 53 extends freely through a hole 56 in a guide clip 57 that is rigidly secured to the supporting plate 24 by a rivet 58. The spring 52 is compressed between the head 54 and the clip 57 and moves the actuating disc 35 with a snap action when the rivet 55 passes over a center line 59 connecting the axis of the operating hole and the center of the hole 56.

It is an object of the switch-operating mechanism to cause opening and closing movement of the switch blades with a snap action in response to a predetermined movement of the operating handle and to insure that this movement of the blades shall occur independently of the operating handle. This operation is accomplished by reason of the lost-motion connection between the inner disc 28 and the actuating disc 35 and the lostmotion connection between the latter and the operating bail 19. As shown in Fig. 3, the 1 operating bail 19 is in the position it occupies when the switch is in closed position. A clockwise movement of the operating handle 32 causes clockwise rotation of the disc 28 and the rivets 31 connected thereto. This initial movement of the operating handle causes no movement of the actuating disc 35 because the rivets first move freely through the arcuate slots 39 until they engaged the op posite ends of the slots. When the rivets 31 engage the opposite ends of the slots, clockwise rotation of the actuating disc 35 is caused by further clockwise movement of the opera-ting handle 32. No movement of the operating bail occurs, however, until the end 58 of the slot 47 engages the operating bail 19.

During such movement of the actuating disc 35, the spring 52 is compressed, and, when the rivet 55 has crossed the center line 59 through the hole 56 and the center of the bearing portion 22 of the bail, the spring 52 expands to cause further clockwise rotation of the disc 35 with a snap action. Since the end 58 of the slot 47 is, at this time, in en gagement with bail 19, the latter is moved in a clockwise direction with a snap action to cause the switch blades 14 that are connected thereto, through the medium of the links 18, to move to open position, with a snap action wherein the parts occupy the positions indicated in Fig. 4.

The snap action movement of the actuating disc 35 occurs independently of any movement of the operating handle 32 because of the lost-motion connection between the inner disc 28, to which the handle is connected, and the actuating disc 35 aflorded by the slot-andrivet connection.

The reverse of the above described operation takes place when the operating handle 32 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction for the purpose of closing the switch, the blades being moved to closed position with a snap action after the spring pivot shaft 53 is again moved over to the center line 59, by reason of counter-clockwise rotation of the actuating disc 35.

The construction is compact and affords ample bearing surfaces for all relatively moving parts and is of maximum rigidity and durability.

Since Various modifications of the device herein set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, I desire, that only such limitations shallbe placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Switch mechanism comprising a housing having side walls, one of which is provided with a flanged bearing opening, a pair of cupped discs of larger diameter than the opening disposed on opposite sides of the said side wall and secured together by a pair of shoulder rivets, the inner disc extending into, and ournalled for rotation in, the said bearing opening, an operating handle attached to the outer disc, a movable switch within the housing, an operating member therefor, a cupped actuating disc having its cupped portion extending into the cupped portion of the inner disc and journalled for rotation therein and having a flanged bearing opening in which the operating member is rotatably journalled, the said actuating member having a lost-motion connection to the operating member and to the outer disc,

and a spring for moving the actuating member in response to a predetermined movement of the operating handle.

2. Switch mechanism comprising a housing having side walls, one of which is provided with a flanged bearing opening, a pair of cupped discs of larger diameter than the opening disposed on opposite sides of the said side wall and secured together by a pair of shoulder rivets, the inner disc extending into, and journalled for rotation in, the said bearing opening, an operating handle attached to the outer disc, a movable switch within the housing, an operating member therefor, a cupped actuating disc having its cupped portion extending into the cupped portion of the inner disc and journalled for rotation therein and having a flanged bearing opening in which the operating member is rotatably journalled, the said actuating member having a lost-motion connection to the operating member and cooperating with the said rivets to provide a lost-motion connection to the said outer disc, and a spring for moving the actuating member in response to a predetermined movement of the operating handle.

3. Switch mechanism comprising a housing having side walls, one of which is provided with a flanged bearing opening, a pair of cupped discs of larger diameter than the opening disposed on opposite sides of the said side wall and secured together by a pair of shoulder rivets, the inner disc extending into, and journalled for rotation in, the said bearing opening, an operating handle attached to the outer disc, a movable switch within the housing, an operating member therefor, a cupped actuating disc having its cupped portion extending into the cupped portion of the inner disc and journalled for rotation therein and having a flanged hearing opening in which'the operating member is rotatably journalled, the said actuating member having a lost-motion connection to the operating member and cooperating with the said rivets to provide a. lost-motion connection to the said outer disc, a washer retained by the said rivets and journalled for rotation on the said flange of the actuating member and bearing against the inner face of the actuating member for retaining the latter in operative assembled position, and a spring for moving the actuating member in response to a predetermined movement of the operating handle.

4. Switch mechanism comprising a housing having side walls, one of which is provided with a flanged bearing opening, a pair of cupped discs of larger diameter than the opening disposed on opposite sides of the said side wall and secured together by a pair of shoulder rivets, the inner disc extending into, and journalled for rotation in, the said bearing opening and the outer disc extendin handle attached to the outer disc, a movable switch within the housing, an operating member therefor, a cupped actuating disc having its cupped portion extending into the cupped portion of the inner disc and journalled for rotation therein and having a flanged bearing opening in which the operating member is rotatably ournalled, the said actuating member having a lost-motion connection to the operating member and to the outer disc, and a spring for moving the actuating member to either of its extreme positions wit-h a snap action in response to a predetermined movement of the operating handle.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of February, 1931.

HARLAN S. GANO.

over the bearing flange, an operating 

